Wrapping-machine



(Nd Model.) 5She'ets--Sheet 2.

I. R. HUTOHINSON. WRAPPING MACHINE.

No. 530,529. Patented 1360.11, 1894.

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(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 3. I. R. HUTGHINSON.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

'N0.'530,529'. Patented Dec. 11, 1894.

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WRAPPING MACHINE.

Nor 530,529. I Patented Decrll, 1 894.

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I. R. HUTOHINSON.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

No.530,529.- v Patented Dec.11,;1894.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFroEf.

IRA R. HUTOHINSON, OF FRESNO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF FlVE-EIGHTHS TO A. L. STOUT, OF DAYTON, AND WILLIAM C. VAN SAN'I, OF DELAWARE,

OHIO.

WRAPPING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,529, dated December 11, 1894.

Application filed August 1'7 1893. Serial No. 483,320. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IRA R. HUTCHINSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fresno, in the county of Fresno and State of 5 California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wrapping-Machines, of which the following is a specification, ref

erence being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in machinesfor wrapping caramels in paper, and also for wrapping other articles of. merchandise, such as soap, yeast, &c., and with such object in view my invention consists of the peculiarities hereinafter fully described and more particularly pointed out in the several claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and on which like reference letters indicate corresponding parts Figure 1, represents a plan view of my ma chine; Fig. 2, a front elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a vertical longitudinal sectional view on the line a; w of Fig. 1; Fig. 4C, a vertical transz 5 verse sectional View on the line y y of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4", a detached view of a frame or bushing; Fig. 5, a perspective viewof an article and a piece of wrapping paper, in the first stage of the wrapping process; Fig. 6, a simio lar view of the same in the second stage; Fig. 7, a similar view of the same in the third stage; Fig. 8, a similar view of the samein the fourth stage; Fig. 9, a similar view of the same in the fifth stage; Fig. 10, a similar view of the 3 5 same in the sixth stage; Fig. 11, a similar view of the same in the seventh and final stage,

Fig. 12, a perspective View of the top and end folding flaps detached from the machine and on an enlarged scale; Fig. 13, a side view of the operative face of the cam which operates the means for performing the second step or stage in the folding operation; Fig. 14:, a similar viewof the cam which actuates the mechanism for efiecting the third step or stage in the folding operation, showing the shape of the groove, and omitting the wings; Fig. 15, a fragment of the cam shown in Fig.13 with a sub-cam and a portion of the knife-pitman which is operated thereby; and Fig. 16, a view looking at the operative face of a double cam,

.fi t varying widths of paper.

or cam with two throws, which operates the mechanism for effecting the first and fourth steps in the folding operation. Fig. 17, is a perspective view of the plunger.

carry a roller G, on which is wound the end- 6:)

less strip or ribbon of wrapping paper H. The paper passes through a yielding stirrup composed of a roller I, a frame J and delicate springs K, whereby when the paper is suddenly drawn upon by the feeding roll the stirrup will yield quickly and avoid tearing the paper, while at the same time the paper is kept under the required tension. By the time the springs K yield to a limit, the tension will have overcome the inertia of the roll G, though it is heavy, with its incumbent roll of paper. The paper passes over a small guide roller L having adjustable collars M to Thence the pa per passes between a rubber roll 0 and a steel roll P mounted in bearings in standards Q, supported by the bridge piece R of the machine which spans the distance between the rear beam E and the forward beam E.

The shaft S is mounted in eccentrics T oper- 8o ated by arms U so that the pressure of the steel roller P upon the paper and against the rubber roller 0 may be varied or adjusted as occasion requires. A shaft V, also mounted in bearings carried by the bridge R, supports a' gear W, which meshes with a pinion X on the shaft of the rubber roll 0. A ratchet Y, carried by the shaft Vis operated by a pawl Z carrying an arm a, supported by the shaft V and actuated by a pitman o, operated by a cam in a manner hereinafter described, so that the rubber roll 0 is made to rotate or partially rotate and thus feed the paper into the machine, as particularly seen in Fig. 3. A link 0 connects the pitman b with a stud d 5 and thus guides the pitman when it is operated by the cam, hereinafter to be described. Kmlfe.A knife is employed toshear 0d the paper after it has been fed into the machine, the shearing taking place, preferably,

just prior to the first step in the folding process. This knife consists of a blade, carried by an arm 6, pivoted in a bracket, f, and working against a fixed edge or bar 9 so as to shear off the paper, the bar g being slotted to permit the paper to pass through it just below the normal position of the blade. The blade-bar e is actuated by a pitman h operated by a wing or sub-cam t',-hereinafter to be described. See Figs. 2, 4, and 15. The pitman it carries a roller j which works under the wing 41. Thus when the wing or sub-cam draws down on the roller, the blade is moved across the paper and severs it, leaving free so much of the strip as is beyond the knife and on the left hand side of it, as viewed in Fig. 3.

Wrapping chmmel.Upon the bridge R is mounted a hollow column, composed of two side walls It and a rear wall Z, whereby a channel is constituted, into which the articles to be wrapped are fed and down which they are forced. The wall Zis adjacent to the knife, already referred to, and is slotted to receive a frame or bushing shown in Fig. at, the paper passing through this bushing and being guided by its side walls 0. Above the bushing is mounted a spring supporting-flap p, and opposite it is similarly mounted to it, in the wall m, a like flap p, the springs being shown at q,wherebythe flaps are normally held in horizontal position.

Folding flaps.At r is shown a pivoted flap on one side of the channel, and at s is shown a similar pivoted flap on the opposite side of the channel. The shafts of these flaps extend through the walls Z and m respectively, the walls being slotted and cut away in the neighborhood of the flaps to accommodate them so that they stand outside of the channel proper. The flap r performs the second step in the folding operation, and the flap s performs the third step in that operation. Beneath these flaps are similarly mounted in similar locations, the double flaps t and a except that these latter flaps are located in such wise that they will come in line with the endsof thearticlebeingwrapped. Referring now to Fig. 12 of the drawings, the relative arrangement of these flaps will be seen, and it will also be noticed that the flap t is in duplicate and the flap u is in duplicate, so that there is one of these latter flaps on one side of the channel at each end of the article being wrapped. The flap 1" and the flap 8 being those flaps which come down upon the top of the article, need not be in duplicate. The flaps r and 8 each have a pinion on their shaft, as seen at '0 and u, respectively, in Figs. 1 and 2, whereby they are operated through the respective cam bars 10 and 11 which have rack teeth at their upper ends to engage with these pinions, respectively, and which are themselves operated by the cams 5 and 6. The shafts of the flaps t and u also carry each a pinion v w, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2, and which pinions are actuated by the cam bars 8 and 9 respectively, such bars being themselves operated respectively by the cams 2 and 3, and having rack teeth at their upper ends which engage each with its pinion. At the lower end of the channel is provided a slightly tapering discharge spout made in sections Z and m with adjusting screws 0' to slightly vary the size of the spout to adjust it to hug the wrapped articles.

Plunger-At 12 is shown a plunger rod carrying a plunger consisting of the head 13 and the folder block 14., pivoted to the head and cutaway or notched on its lower face to agree with the shape and size, substantially, of the articles to be wrapped, and having ribs 15 which fit in grooves 16 in the walls 70 of the folding or wrapping channel. A spring-supported plate 16' is carried in the notch of the plunger to prevent the article from sticking in the notch when the plunger is withdrawn from the article. The plunger-rod 12 is pivoted to an arm 17, supported in a standard 18 carried by the frame. nects with the arm 17 and carries a roller 20 which travels in the cam 21, by which the plunger is given the required movements, and at the proper time, as will presently be described.

H0pper.0n a plate 22, suitably supported above the bridge R is placed a hopper composed of two plates 23. Into this hopper the unwrapped articles, caramels, for instance, are placed one above the other so that they will settle or drop down, the lower one resting on the plate 22.

Feeder.A reciprocating plunger 24 is guided between ribs 25 on the plate 22, an adjustable strip 26, pressed by screws 27, being employed to effect the close fit against the plunger. This plunger is reciprocated by a bell-crank lever 28, actuated by a cam presently to be described, returned to normal position by a spring 29, and connected to the plunger by a stud which slides in the bellcrank lever to compensate for the are described by the lever. When the plunger advances toward the wrapper-channel it advances the caramel or article under the detent 32, which insures it against dislocation on account of the jarring of the machine. As the plunger recedes from under the hopper the caramels or other articles settle down, and the lower one opposes the plunger. A second movement of the plunger toward the wrapper-channel advances such caramel or article in that direction until it meets with the one under the detent 32. When the plunger returns it leaves the second caramel or article where the first last stood. A third movement, advances a third caramel against the second, and the second advances the first upon the flaps p and p. A second detent 32 depends in the pathway of the plunger and operates upon the second caramel the same as detent 31 upon the first caramel.

Cams-Several cams have already been referred to. There is a driving shaft 33 A pitman 19 coni mounted in the main frame and carrying a driving pulleyfi with which it is clutched and unclutehed by the clutch' mechanism 35 and lever 36. On this shaft is strung and fixed the series of five cams.

into operation in the machine.

OamNo. 6, while it operates the mechanism which performs the third stepor stage of the'folding process, also carries a wing 37 which operates the ratchet mechanism and in turn the gear W and pinion X by which the feeding rolls are actuated. This cam 6 also carries awing 38 by which the bellcrank lever28 is operated and the plunger made to advance toward the wrapper-chain nel. The otheroperations of this cam coming in at a later stage, it will again be referred to in its proper order. The next cam to operate is cam 21, by which the pitman 19 is actuated. This cam is shown in detail in Fig. 16 and it will be seen'that it has two throws, namely 21 and 21", so that the plunger is given two separate descents in one rotation .of the cam.

The cam 2 is shown in detail in Figs. 13 and 15 and it will be seen that it has one throw 2", so that the cam-bar 8 will make one movement in one revolution of the cam, and

thus the flap T will be given one movement, thejmovement of the bar and the size of the pinion being such that the flap moves in a quarter of a circle, down and then up again. At t the cam is cutaway to'accommodate j. Cam 3operates the double flap u.

Cam 6 is shown in detail in Fig. 14 and it will be seen that its throw, instead of being abrupt like cam No.2 whereby the .fiap is quickly moved down and up again, is gradual so that its flap is moved down more slowly and is held a considerable length of time, time enough to permit the cam 21 to actuate the plunger.the second time and bring it down upon the flap s, which latter flap is the one that cam 6 actuates.

It has already been described that the cam 2 carries a win g 'i, to operate the paper cutter.

The cam 5, which operates the double flap i is not shown in detail because the movement of this flap being the same as the movement of the flap 7*, this cam is likewise the same as cam No. 2, shown in detail in Fig. 13.

Operation: I will now describe the operation of wrapping an article, and will refer to the caramel in the illustration; but it will be understood that the operation is the same though the article might be soap, or yeast or anything else. Let it be supposed that the hopper contains caramels. The bell-crank lever is taken hold of by hand, given two movements and two caramels advanced under the detents 31 and 32. The plunger being returned, the machine is started by rotating the These cams I will refer to in the order in which they come at its lower side is about even with the lower i edges of theshafts of the flaps t and u The descent of the caramel after it reaches the paper acts to fold the paper up along its sides and make the product seen in Fig. 5.

This done, the plunger moves upward and the flap r presses one wing of the paper over on the caramel, making the product seen in Fig. 6. This done, the flap 3 comes down making the product shown in Fig. 7, the flap '1' staying down until the descent of this latter flap, when r goes up again; and by reason of the contour of the cam 6 the flap 3 remains down until the plunger makes a second descent, which it then does, incidentally pressing the flap s firmly down, and pressing the projecting ends of the upper side of the paper down against the ends of the caramel, to make the product shown in Fig. 8. This done, the plunger rises and the double flap t descentls and folds the paper to make the product shown in Fig.1). This flap returning, the double flap "a descends, folding the other edges of the paper and making the product shown in Fig. 10. This done, the latterflap rises and the plunger makes a third descent and presses the caramel down into the spout Z ,m', a second caramel having in the meantime, and just before the third descent of the plunger, been projected upon the supporting-flaps so as to come down with the plunger in its third descent and act to assist in ejecting the first caramel. This ejection of it forms the product shown in Fig. 11, which completes the folding steps or processes. As the caralnels accumulate in the discharge spout they are forced out. These same operations are rapidly repeated and the wrapped articles are rejected from the machine so rapidly as to amount almost to a stream, as ascertained in the practical operation of this machine, which has been exhaustively tested.

Having thus fully described my invention,

what I claim as new, and desire to secure by 2. In a wrapping machine, the following instrumentalities: a wrapping channel, supporting flaps across the channel, wrapping mechanism consisting essentially of a recessed plunger and a double set of flaps, one set being above the other, article feeding mechanism consisting of a hopper and a reciprocating plunger traveling across the bottom of the hopper and adapted to feed the articles upon the supporting flaps, and one or more detents to engage with the articles to prevent their dislodgment.

3. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a wrapping channel, of two associated flaps mounted at the opposite sides of the said channel, respectively, and operating mechanism for said flaps arranged and combined with one flap to turn it down to fold over one edge of the paper about the article and then to turn the flap back, and with the other flap to turn it down to fold the other edge of the paper over the article and to delay this fiap in a down position, and a reciprocating notched plunger which descends and folds the upper projections of the paper down against the ends of the article then ascends, after which the delayed flap through its mechanism is turned up.

4. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a wrapping channel, a plunger provided with a central recess, two upper folding flaps and two double lower folding flaps, all operating within said channel, of aseries of cams and intermediate mechanism whereby the plunger is given one descent, one of the upper flaps is turned down and back, the other upper flap is turned down and held, the plunger is given a second descent and returned, such delayed flap is turned back, one of the double lower fiaps is turned down and back, and the other is turned down and back.

5. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a wrapping channel, of an upper set of flaps and a lower set of double flaps, the flaps of each set being arranged upon the opposite sides of the said channel, and mechanism for operating the said flaps so that one flap of the upper set shall turn down and back, and the other turn down and be delayed and then turned back after such delay, one of the lower set shall turn down and back and then the other shall turn down and back, and a recessed plunger, and mechanism to operate it to cause it to descend and ascend prior to the movement of the first of the upper flaps, and then make a second descent and ascent after the second flap has been turned down.

6. In a wrapping machine, the combination with a wrapping channel, a recessed plunger for making the first end folds, working within the channel, yielding supporting flaps standing normally across the channel, a feeding plunger operating to feed the articles upon said supporting flaps and then withdraw, and two sets of folding flaps, the upper set consisting of two flaps and the lower set of two double flaps, one set being above the other set, and mechanism for operating, the wrapping plunger, the feeding plunger, and both sets of flaps at the proper time, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

IRA R. HUTOHINSON.

\Vitnesses:

W. F. STALEY, R. O. SNYDER. 

